Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-08-21

and had not revealed her presence to
them by word or move.
''lf the woman chooses 10 90 with
you, well and good, / answered, as |
looked the fellow over by the light OF
the campfire. "lf she does not, you
cannot take her"
'Oh. We can't Ell? You crow pretty
loud fora spring chicken. Well, ask
tie wcLch to make a choice"
T he wagon was about ten plces from
Tie fire, and in the shadow, although
not 50 much so that | could not see it
pretty plainly. had made a step to-
ward it, when / saw black object mr.
der the wheels, and, supposing il TO be
wolf, | raised my gun and took a
snap shot, caring only to send bulies
near enough TO drive IT away. The OBJ
jcct disappeared with the echoes OF the
report, and as / walked along 10 the
wagon the two men, who had nOt dis
/ mounted. accompanied mo. Standing
within Ggc feet OF the vehicle | cilled
70 the woman aud asked if she desired
10 go with the men. and she replied:
"Oh sir, save me from them, even
If you bayc to shoot me-.
"But you've got to come " shouted
the half-breed.
"She shall not 30 :" | shouted at
him. - give you two villains sixty
seconds in which to leave camp. Now
/ gol"
They were close together, and nv
rifle covered both They looked straight
at me for fifteen or twenty seconds,
and then turned and rode away into the
/ darkness. l followed them for hun
bred hards, when they urged their
horses TO gallon, and rode to the
| rOrth without looking back. stood
/ and looked after them until could no
/ longer hear the beat of their horses
hCois, and feltratherproud ofmy nerve
/ IN driving them away. 1t did not occur
tome until the next day that either or
both Of them could have got the drop
on me up to the time | raised my rife,
and that while they were making
threats Of what they would do they left
their rifles lying across their saddles.
They simply permitted me TO force
them ont Of camp at the muZZlc Of my
Winchester, and that was a part Of
their plan. When ] returned to the
fire the woman was beside it, her face
betrayiug fear and distress, and as soon
os came mp she clasped her hands and
tcnrluly exclaimed:
oh, You will not let them take me
away-you will not "
assured her that they had been
driven OF, and that she was safe, aud
kcr gratitude was unbouLdod. 1t Was |
now 10 o'clock and after, and Patton
had not yet returned. 1t Was useless |
To expect him until morning. and st |
about preparing the camp for the
night. As there was q strong probl-
hihty that thc two men driven OF |
would secure announcements and re- |
tuin during the night. tied the horse |
- the wagon. told the woman that she |
could occupy the vehicle, ami prepared |
tO spend the night on guard. She |
seemed 10 oppose this latter ar
rmcemcnt, doabting If the men
vouid return. and declaring it |
WIS sacrifice on my pat !
she could not accept. ! bundled her
into the wagon, however, promising |
that might catch Il nap after | or =
O'Clock j. all were quiet, and 10y and by
iet tine fire 60 down, and took my
circle around the camp with clt-like
step. a few coyotes and wolves caDe
about, Int nothing seemed to disturb
he. and the hours passed away until
> o'clock. Ly that time was very
tired and sleepy. dared not stretch
out for % regular sleep, knowing that
the danger Was not yet past, but | sat
down on knoll about forty feet nOrih
Of thc wagon to nap a little, knowing
that any noise OF account would in
stantly arouse me. 1t was perhaps a
quarter 81 an hour before actually
ieil asleep, and almost instantly he
gan 70 dream. | dreamed that |
Was ted fast TO II tree on the plains,
and that a rattlcsnaAc Vas crawling To-
ward ne. The snake was coming 10
bite me- and | was helpless. Every
movement of the reptile was as vivid is
il the dream had been reality, and
NY mind was as clear as bell. The
serpent came very slowly, hating every
two or three feet to rear its head and
look about and when it was within ten
feet its form changed. 1t was yet
serpent, Int it had a~mall brown hand,
ana the hand clUtched bull dog pi,-
t0l. The pistol was pointed full at me,
and ] saw that the hammer WAS up.
'NhiZZ ' went shadow before my
face, and then / saw behind me. The
snake was 10 longer in front, but
creeping up i'll my resr, and yet saw
him as plainly as before. Tie came on
slowly cautiously always little
nearer When withla three feet OF my
heels the pistol was raised 70 the back
of my head, and | said to myself;
$50 | am to I've shot. 1t is IA large
bullet, and is Will 80 clear through my
head. ] wonder why he didn't bite nc?
If ] was loose would make fierce
fieLt fer ny life
"Clug!' twas the sound Of apistol-
hammer striking on the ccutra OF
cmtridgc-a cartridge winch had
failed to explode. In the same
second / Was on my feet 4 human
figure stood before me. / gave
my heavy rifle a half sweep and the
inquire Stllh NONu VIII ftlhcu hlliltN-
Ihon was fully awake, and ] bent
over the stranger, TO find it was
the woman who should have been
asleep in the wagon. She was
unconscious, but clutched firmly in her
right hand was a bulldog pistol. |
wrencAod il away, and carried her to
the embers of the fire. and when | had
secured blaze saw that had struck
her on the head and given hex a bad
hurt. examined the pistol, and when
/ found that the cartridge had been
tried 10y the hammer, it did not take
me long to unravel the plot against my
life. | bound the woman hand and
foot, and theu kept yigilant watch until
day break. She recovered conscious
ness long enough before this, but the
only aid extended was to loosen her
hards and place dish OF water beside
her. She did not address me, and |
had no word for her.
When day broke there was another
surprise for me. A Klckapoo Indian
Law dead under the wagon, shot through
the heart. 1t was IA great mystery to
me, but the woman was ready TO clear
it up. | united her, washed the blood
off her face and head, and then she
gave the whole plot away. Patton had